Meet Mark

Let me introduce myself. My name is Mark Sisson. I’m 63 years young. I live and work in Malibu, California. In a past life I was a professional marathoner and triathlete. Now my life goal is to help 100 million people get healthy. I started this blog in 2006 to empower people to take full responsibility for their own health and enjoyment of life by investigating, discussing, and critically rethinking everything we’ve assumed to be true about health and wellness...

A Different Kind of Success Story

It’s Friday, everyone! And that means another Primal Blueprint Real Life Story from a Mark’s Daily Apple reader. If you have your own success story and would like to share it with me and the Mark’s Daily Apple community please contact me here. I’ll continue to publish these each Friday as long as they keep coming in. Thank you for reading!

I want to share my story because it has to do with beating my eating disorder through Primal living. When I was about 21 years (I am 29 now) I started on a quest for health. I was never super unhealthy compared to the average person. I didn’t grow up on fast food and my parents never bought the sugary cereals, but I basically grew up on a high carb diet. Usually pasta, bagels, and lasagna, which we thought were pretty good for us.

My quest for health had good intentions, but was always overshadowed by my doctor diagnosed Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder which happens to show its ugly face through food and my own body image issues. So instead of eating healthy JUST to be healthy, I became obsessed with being thin. My main goals were to take in as little calories as possible, eat zero sugar, eat whole grains, and eat very little meat (because I thought meat would make me fat). Here is what I ate daily for my first year or so of being “healthy”:

Breakfast – 1 cup sugar-free yogurt with ½ cup raw oats stirred in

Mid-Morning Snack – 1 string cheese

Lunch – 1 cup sugar-free yogurt with ½ cup raw oats stirred in

Mid-Day Snack – 1 string cheese

Dinner – two slices of whole wheat bread with spaghetti sauce on it

Doesn’t that sound so appetizing???! Ya right!

On the weekends I was so deprived that I just couldn’t control myself and would binge on a ½ gallon of Moose Tracks ice cream, feel really bad about it, and possibly make myself throw up afterward, or not eat the next day.

Another issue I developed was major flatulence. (Here comes some TMI.) As soon as I started my new diet of whole grains and sugar-free yogurt, my stomach got painfully out of control. Not to mention stinky! Every day within 30 minutes of eating my first meal my stomach would start to rumble, then that rumble would turn into flatulence. I worked in an office for my brothers who had a start-up company and my flatulence was so bad that when the mail-man came I would run to the back of the office so he couldn’t see me when he would pick up the terrible odor in the office. Or when technicians who worked for us would check in at the end of the day I would see them drive up and I would quickly spritz my “fart spray” (cheap perfume) around the office to cover up the smell. Sometimes they would complement the scent not knowing that they were inhaling my waste and I would feel bad, but be kind of giggling inside.

So the flatulence just got worse and worse which is why I continued my quest for health. Now I needed to find a way to be healthy, thin, flatulence free, and once again THIN. I started reading tons of literature through books, magazines, and the internet. I also started getting into cycling and triathlons. I thought I needed to eat so much more to stay energized for my workouts, so I would eat sugary granola bars and sports drinks, and of course “reward” myself after a bike ride with a binge on five slices of pizza. Naturally I started to gain weight. I went from about 120 lbs and being rail thin, to about 150 lbs and carrying a little extra junk in the truck.

I finally realized that something was not going right. I am gaining weight even though I train for hours and my stomach hurts about 18-24 hours a day. I decided to try the sprouted grains instead of whole grain to help with digestion, and I added lean meats to my diet… here is where my obsession became even worse.

I had read enough magazines by this time that I believed without a doubt that my weight had everything to do with my calorie intake, so I bought a scale and measured EVERYTHING. I became a walking encyclopedia in the sense that I could tell you exactly how many sugar, fat, and carb grams, along with the calories that were in a particular food. I was a robot, and I was obsessed! If you know anything about OCD, you know that the more you learn the more obsessed you become. However, I finally lost my weight and settled at 135 lbs.

By the way, at this time I started to see a doctor who prescribed me meds for depression and to help me take control of my OCD.

At the age of 24 in 2007 I got married. My husband knew of my eating issues and he just let me do my thing. However, over time my obsession started to put a toll on our marriage. If he wanted to make me dinner I would be hovering over him making sure he weighed all the food. I always thought he was secretly adding ingredients that were not “allowed”. I would make him trim every ounce of fat off the meat before he cooked it. It would often turn into a big fight, and then I would start crying because “I didn’t want to get fat”. I also tried forcing him to eat what I ate and he would only comply to avoid a big blowout I might have.

I was trying to do everything right by eating my whole grains and lean meats, but I was miserable physically and mentally. Some days were really good and I felt like I had complete control of food and then there were other days (or weeks) I would be so out of control that I would eat several giant slices of cake at a party, along with whatever else was being served. I would eat until I was sick, AND THEN EAT SOME MORE.

By this time I had read the following books: The Longevity Diet, The PH Miracle, and You are What You Eat. I tried to follow them, but they were so complicated that I just became more obsessed with every diet that I attempted. I also tried a Gluten-Free diet, Food Combining diet, and eating all my veggies raw to try and control my painful stomach issues. I also tried acupuncture for digestion. It seemed like the “healthier” I ate the worse my stomach became. It even got to a point where I would go to the bathroom to find full pieces of undigested vegetables in the toilet on a daily basis.

Soon I read and became a follower of The Eat Clean Diet book, and read Oxygen Magazine for about two years. I decided that this diet would be my best bet and I would just live with the stomach pain.

One day a fellow triathlete friend of mine told me she followed the Paleo Diet. I though… “huh?” She explained the diet to me and I thought it kinda made sense. So I bought and read The Paleo Diet and The Paleo Diet for Athletes. I started to follow the Paleo Diet as best I could, but still found it to be complicated and something I would obsess over because of all the rules involved. One thing I questioned was how the diet seems to be against animal fat. Having been through a cultural anthropology class I was sure that the fat of the animal was like prime real estate and was never turned down by a hunter-gatherer. Nevertheless, I attempted the diet.

My attempt with paleo was back and forth. I had trouble sticking with it because I was always hungry and there was very little flavor in the food. I was trying to make my life less stressful and for some reason going totally paleo was adding more stress to me. I was also really into working out and so I would make recipes that my favorite Oxygen Magazine models would suggest, most of which included grain.

One day I saw a book sitting around at my brother’s house called The Primal Blueprint. His friend left it at his house and suggested my brother read it. I picked it up thinking it was another paleo book. I started to read it, and I couldn’t stop reading. I almost read the whole book in the two hours that I was at my brother’s house. Then I went to the bookstore and bought it so I could not only read the rest, but read it again. I loved it. There were three things that I loved about it: It matched up to how our ancestors would have eaten, it matched up to how our ancestors would have lived day-by-day, and it was simple.

I actually felt a sense of freedom after reading the book for the first time. I felt hope that I could possibly be free from my OCD monster and maybe even from my painful flatulence.

As always, my husband was on board with my new find. We agreed to try the diet and lifestyle for 30 days. In the beginning I was pretty nervous to eat fat since I had learned that fat was the enemy, but I committed to 30 days. In those 30 days we ate things like bacon and eggs, coconut flour pizza, bean-less chili, burgers with almond flour buns, and many other things. I couldn’t believe how many calories I was taking in. Yet, I was not gaining any weight.

I didn’t force myself to get up every morning at 3:45 am to work out (as I normally did), unless I really felt the energy to do so. If I felt too tired, I would sleep in and then go for a long walk later. I even lit candles before bed and turned out the lights around the house so that I would get sleepy and go to bed in the same form that our ancestors would have.

Amazingly, after 30 days I had no desire to go on a carbohydrate binge, and felt satisfied after every flavorful meal. Of course my husband LOVED to eat bacon and eggs; something that I would never let enter our house before. Even my flatulence started to go away within the first week. Boy was my husband happy about that!

I even bought a pair of Vibram FiveFinger shoes and what happened to me was remarkable. After three years of chronic knee and hamstring pain in my left leg, and after spending hundreds of dollars on doctors, acupuncture, massage and physical therapy my pain started to go away after the first week of wearing them. After a couple months the pain was pretty much gone, with now only the occasional flare up if I do something too strenuous. What baffles me is that all of the professionals I saw constantly told me to wear heavily supported running shoes to help my injuries, and it was the minimalist shoe that made it all go away.

My husband and I have been living the Primal lifestyle for about a year now and couldn’t be more satisfied. The other day I told my husband that I’ll never buy another diet book again. I have no need to because I am no longer a slave to food. I never weigh my food, I let me husband cook for me, I don’t freak out if I have to go to a party and be faced with foods that will be calling my name all night, I never have secret binges, and I rarely have stomach pain anymore. I used to literally fear food. Now I love it.

Although my OCD and eating disorder are ongoing battles, I no longer take medication. For anyone who may have the same issues as me, please know that it is okay if you still struggle. Don’t beat yourself up over it. To be honest, I haven’t quite conquered intermittent fasting yet, because when I try it I am still thinking like an anorexic by wondering how much weight I’ll lose by not eating. Of course that way of thinking is not Primal. I am not mentally and emotionally strong enough to fast for a full day. For now, I try skipping breakfast or lunch sometimes.

The beauty of the being Primal is that it is not just a diet; it is a way of life that anyone can fully embrace if they put it to the test. I now have two brothers who follow the Primal Blueprint diet, along with their families.

Thank you, Mark for sharing the Primal lifestyle with the world. It has helped me overcome my internal battles and even made my marriage so much better!

I developed bulimia after “recovering” from anorexia in my teens, but it’s true that primal/paleo can minimise binging SO much. I thought I’d have an ED for the rest of my life but it’s actually under control for the first time!

Wonderful story Liz. And thank you Mark too for bringing all the information to us.

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Ellen

5 years 8 months ago

What a great story. Having had many of the same issues, I can totally relate to much of what you had to say. Congratulations on hanging in and embracing the Primal lifestyle. I know and appreciate the work you had to do to accomplish this. Best wishes for your continued success!

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sonny3

5 years 8 months ago

Fantastic story and you are to be fully congratulated. Your pic is almost as assume as your story. May you be blessed with many years of life’s enjoyment.

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Happycyclegirl

5 years 8 months ago

Way to go, Liz! I too have struggled with obsessions over my weight and now focus on how I feel.

Also nice to no longer have the brutal gas! 🙂

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Stevie D!!

5 years 8 months ago

Amen to that!!!

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Jess

5 years 8 months ago

You go girl! I used to eat too little and train too hard as well. I’ve been eating this way for over two years and have never looked back. I have a similar photo somebody took of me last April with the same kind of tree.. .. Is that in West Palm, Fla??

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Steffo

5 years 8 months ago

This story brought me to tears. I went the exact same things. The only difference was it hit my junior year of high school. I had all the same issues and took all the same actions minus some of the books you read. I’m now freshman in college and past the weighing and anxiety and fear. Thank you so much for posting this story up, it’ll truly live on in my mind and above all, it’ll keep me on my path because I know i’m not alone and things get better with time.
=)

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Laura

5 years 8 months ago

Way to go, Liz!!! Very Inspiring!

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Caleigh

5 years 8 months ago

Wow, really awesome. I struggled with bulimia in the past and it was always desperation that led it. I love that with the primal blueprint we are allowed to relax and let go of the desperation and just have fun eating great real food.

Liz, you look absolutely amazing! And what matters most is that you’re happy and found your sweet spot! I’m sitting here with a huge grin on my face, its all so inspiring! Primal helped me break free from obsessive calorie-counting too, I understand how liberating it is! Grok ON!

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Inga

5 years 8 months ago

Congratulations!

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m

5 years 8 months ago

I’m really happy that MDA featured a story like this. Congratulations, Liz – you give a lot of us hope that we can get to the same point as you. I remember the first time I ate butter after two years of obsessively avoiding it and finally deciding to get over my fear of it. It was one of the best days of my life 🙂 Now I’m looking forward to getting to the point where I can stick with Primal like you have a make the big change.

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Elysa Jane

5 years 8 months ago

Did you ever get tested for gluten intolerance?

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ladycopper5

5 years 8 months ago

Very cool story! Almost all my close family members have OCD, some very badly, and my sister was sort of on the verge of anorexia. She never went extremely far on that, definitely not as bad as my binge eating was for years, but your story and personality remind me a lot of hers. I no longer have urges to binge and am thrilled about that and she is much stronger than she used to be (i.e., no longer has times of feeling faint) and her stomach is not bothering her any more. Good job, Liz, and I’ll make sure… Read more »

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this! So often I get so disheartened because it feels like sometimes the only success stories come from dudes who want to get ripped–it’s so refreshing not only to see a lady getting healthy and fit, but also overcoming an eating disorder. Going primal has helped me somewhat control my binge eating disorder, but it’s still a day to day process. It’s so good to hear about someone who’s been there, done that, and come out on the other side for the better.

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Chris

5 years 8 months ago

You better not whip those guns out in public or people are gonna get nervous!

Great story. It definitely appear that OCD, depression, etc. are so related to diet (and gut bacteria.) Primal is clearly a great option for you.

BTW — that tree looks like a great primal jungle gym!

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Spincycle

5 years 8 months ago

Way to go Liz, you look amazing, and so happy!

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Donna

5 years 8 months ago

Thanks for sharing your story…Myself and so many of my women friends (you know us…we are the healthy bunch running marathons, carbo loading and fighting depression) have been through this cycle and sometimes it takes a couple of decades to get clear on the best path to beat OCD and ED’s. Great story and great success.

I’m a former bulimic and I still have massive body-image issues. Being primal has helped immeasurably.

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Trav

5 years 8 months ago

I know this is really off-topic, Jackie. I just checked out your site. It’s encouraging to see such an accomplished writer/PB enthusiast is part of the PB community.
I wish you the best in your Primal journey.

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Hey everybody!
Thanks so much for reading my story and for all the wonderful comments. You are bringing heartfelt tears to my eyes. 🙂 The tree is in Jamaica for anyone who is wondering.

Oh my gosh, this is so inspiring! I finally feel like I can relate to someone. I was diagnosed with OCD in late 2007. I struggle with anxiety and my way of eating is extremely disordered. I lost a total of 45 lbs in the past by calorie-counting and following conventional wisdom (low fat, high fibre) without exercising at all. I know that counting calories would be beneficial to me for a while just so I know what a typical day of eating primal is like, but when I begin to count calories I get obsessed. I get so obsessed… Read more »

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peggy

5 years 8 months ago

we can’t wait to hear your story Amber!
I’m sure yours is going to be just as fabulous, heartening, uplifting, & inspirational, yet different as it will be YOUR triumphs 🙂
Go get it Amber!

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Shebeeste

5 years 8 months ago

Amber–check out the Mood Cure by Julia Ross for suggestions about how to cope with sugar addiction–along with eating primal (the eating plan in Ross’ book is almost primal too) with plenty of yummy fat, and getting enough sleep and primal exercise, using the supplements suggested in the book really helped bust my carb cravings. I think that sometimes if you have disordered brain/body chemistry, you need more than eating primally to get out of the woods. You can preview most of the book on Google Books.

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Danielle

5 years 8 months ago

Amber, have you done any research on chromium for carb cravings? I think I read it here somewhere… and it only took a few doses to knock mine down to a manageable level.

Wonderful, inspiring story Liz! Thanks for having the courage to share it!

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Island Girl

5 years 8 months ago

Sugar cravings are frequently caused by systemic Candida. It’s the little beasties that are craving the sugar hit. A great product for it is Threelac, a lemon-flavored probiotic powder that wipes out the Candida. It comes in little packets that are very easy to take. My daughter calls them pixie-sticks. You can buy it all over the internet. E-Bay has lots of sellers.

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catherine p.

5 years 8 months ago

Most of Liz’s symptoms look like candida to me. Eating primal is certainly a good way to get rid of this too. I followed a candida diet too (which was different from primal because I am vegan)and it worked as well. Whatever works I guess!!

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Hilary

5 years 8 months ago

ooh, i love starbucks too, but watch out! I always get their green tea late w/ 2% and recently found out they sweeten it with sugar water! I am highly sensitive to sugar (i dont eat fruit, honey, maple syrup, ect.) so it really messed me up the next day. Make sure you ask them what they put in it or ask for an unsweetened version of the beverage.

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Jesse

5 years 8 months ago

Liz, you’re story really hit home. I struggle with OCD as well (cumpulsive thoughts/actions) and have found that going primal helps a little with this over time. What a great success story that hit me personally inside. Many congratulations!

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Dan

5 years 8 months ago

I would like to point out that the Primal Blueprint and the Paleo diet are not that different. It seems extremely unlikely to me that somebody following the Paleo diet would have found it to be unsatisfying (hunger wise) and complicated. It is in fact very simple and extraordinarily satisfying, just like the Primal Blueprint.

Are there differences? Yes, but they are EXTREMELY minor.

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Dan, I completely agree with you and I am not totally sure as to why it didn’t work for me. I make many paleo meals still, but like I mentioned in my story-some of the rules just didnt make sense to me. Maybe its my OCD, or maybe I’m just any other fanatic, but I like things to make perfect sense. I don’t like gray area. Primal made perfect sense to me.

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Jenn

5 years 8 months ago

Paleo Diet is lower fat- it recommends eating lean cuts, trimming fat, etc. Eating leaner isn’t necessarily bad, and can be helpful in losing weight, but most of us seem to feel better eating animal fat to satiety. Like any way of eating, you can gain weight if you eat too much, fat or otherwise. I see the Paleo Diet’s low fat recommendations as a remnant of the low-fat era. Or maybe there was just confusion since wild animal muscle meat is leaner, but the animal still have fat deposits. And it seems clear that primal peoples save and eat… Read more »

I disagree Dan. When I first looked into Paleo, it seemed far more restrictive. And I had the same reaction as Liz about the fat. I also knew from anthro classes that fat was key, so I was surprised to see that. Also, I knew I couldn’t go without salt in my life. Too Spartan.

But Primal? These folks know how to have fun. 🙂 And it’s far more sustainable.

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Love your comment Karen!!

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Chuck

5 years 8 months ago

I face some of the same issues. It was helpful to read your account. Thanks

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Dan, I completely agree with you and I am not totally sure as to why it didn’t work for me. I make many paleo meals still, but like I mentioned in my story-some of the rules just didnt make sense to me. Maybe its my OCD, or maybe I’m just any other fanatic, but I like things to make perfect sense. I don’t like gray area. Primal made perfect sense to me.

“One thing I questioned was how the diet seems to be against animal fat. Having been through a cultural anthropology class I was sure that the fat of the animal was like prime real estate and was never turned down by a hunter-gatherer. Nevertheless, I attempted the diet.” -Your thinking is right on!! “I even lit candles before bed and turned out the lights around the house so that I would get sleepy and go to bed in the same form that our ancestors would have.” -I LOVE doing this (I think thousands of other cavemen do too… maybe millions?… Read more »

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Thank you Toad! That’s awesome that your family is getting involved too. Isn’t it exciting?! Family gatherings are great when everyone is on board and you can have a primal feast!

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Ande

5 years 8 months ago

Awesome Liz!!

It makes me so happy to hear how “free” you are now! I’m also glad to hear you have a supporting husband who is doing it with you! That is great.

I think sometimes things just have to click for change to happen. I was on my own quest for health and found many complicated diets that never worked but when I finally found primal it all came together. And I know many out there have the same story.

Just wanted to say THANK YOU one more time for everyone who has taken the time to read my story and for the kind comments. I thought there must be more women (and men of coure) out there who have had similar trials as I have and I really wanted to connect with you. My journey toward the best I can be will be a life-long proccess and I still have my daily challenges. However, knowing that I am not alone, and believing that everyone deserves to be happy, makes everything in life a little easier to handle.

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Christine

5 years 8 months ago

What a great transformation!
Are you familiar with the GAPS diet? I wonder if the few changes that this provides might not help with the OCD and eating disorder mind-set tendencies. Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride has a whole chapter in The Gut and Psychology Syndrome on eating disorders.

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

That sounds very interesting. You’ve got me curious now so I’ll be looking into that for sure. I am pretty sure that my gut issue has a lot to do with anxiety or whatever you want to all it. I think this because even on my most “primal” day I still get problems with my stomach if something gives me anxiety or makes me at all anxious. I could eat totally primal all day and then if I have some social event to attend I will always get super bloated about an hour before the event and all throughout it.… Read more »

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

sorry, I just realized that I repeated myself a bit in the last comment. oops!

Having had a bit of a bad OCD day today, reading your story was a much needed motivator. How refreshing it is to know that people who goes through the same issues than I can attain their goals and be free from 24h food paranoia. I am slowly but surely progressing and who know could also be a long term success story as well. You rock!

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Brittany

5 years 8 months ago

Wow, this sounds exactly like me. Ever since I have discovered I was “fat” in late elementary school, I have been very obsessed with health and weight. The Primal Blueprint makes perfect sense to me, but I haven’t taken the plunge because I’m scared of eating, wait for it, fat. This story gives me hope! Thanks for sharing.

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Liz

5 years 8 months ago

Thank you Brittany :)I hear ya. As a twiggy little 10 year old kid I was wearing shorts over my swimsuits because I was so “fat”. Eating fat is a huge step for people like us. On a bad day my ED tells me to stay away from it still. I hope you can make the leap. Good luck my friend!!

I’m down with no GAS! lol. That alone was a HUGE turning point with me. I absolutely love not worrying about it.

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Dave PAPA GROK Parsons

5 years 8 months ago

YOU GROK>>>I love to read stories like this…the learning..the adventure..the bravery and all the things that go along with the “change” your looking for…I love it..LOVE IT LOVE IT>>>THIS STUFF MAKES ME SMILE..MAKES MY THROAT GET TIGHT..MAKES ME GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS TRIBE…YOUR NEVER ALONE…I WISH YOU CONTINUED STRENGTH AND ABILITY…GO GIRL GO!!!….GROK ON..FOREVER>>>

Well done Liz…Good to see you’ve taken control of your life. Primal living certainly seems to make it all that much easier. Every day gets easier as your body/mind reap the benefits…Free your mind, and your Grok will follow!!!!!

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Sally

5 years 8 months ago

Great inspiring story. I have been living grain free for about 2 months now. Strange thing is I keep losing inches, but not weight. Can anyone explain this? I am 5’4″ and about 150lbs. I’d love to take off at least 20 lbs and get some lean muscles as well. I have definitely been guilty of chronic cardio and obsessing about miles logged, but have completely cut that back to nice walks and strength training. I’m concerned that I’ll be the one person this doesn’t work for. I have vowed to not step on the scale for at least a… Read more »

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ladycopper5

5 years 8 months ago

I am in the same spot, having been primal for three weeks at this point and losing weight initially and still losing inches, but stalled on the weight at the moment. Having worked at a gym in the past, I remember the ladies I measured all the time worrying about that and it really helped that we had a machine that showed how many pounds of lean vs fat they had – so many times in the first couple months people would be putting on muscle like crazy and losing inches, but no change in weight. I would not really… Read more »

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Trav

5 years 8 months ago

I suggest to people to try to focus on fat-loss and body composition rather than an arbitrary ideal weight. Muscle tissue is more dense and weighs roughly 20% more than fat tissue per volume. 5 pounds of muscle equals approximately 6 pounds of fat volume-wise.
Try using the mirror and the fit of your clothes to gauge your progress. Since going about 80% Primal my waist has shrunk 4 inches and I have much more muscle definition, but my weight has remained at 185 the whole time.

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Tenny

5 years 8 months ago

Yay for you! What a great turnaround to have health and freedom in your life!

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Lela

5 years 8 months ago

What a wonderful story!! Congratulations on your mental fortitude! I love that you knew Paleo was a little off – I felt the same way when I first heard about Paleo. Isn’t animal fat the best tasting thing ever!?

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JEN

5 years 8 months ago

Wow, your past relationship with food reminded me so much of mine. I’m 21 now and I went through everything you went through. I had a terrible relationship with food and whenever I go on my occasional “binges”, I would feel so guilty that I would purge it. That was probably my lowest point. Since May 2011, I decided that I wanted to be fit and healthy, not thin. If I focused on being thin then that would make me obsessed. However, if I focused to be fit and healthy, then that would force me to research on how to… Read more »

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nikki

5 years 8 months ago

I just gave the primal blueprint to a friend and told her that “this diet allowed me to let go of food anxiety.” For me, that is absolutely the most rewarding part of the primal lifestyle. I love everything I eat and no longer fear food in anyway! Great Story Liz, it rings true for many!